Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-01-08
RETRlsUTvE PENALTIES
BY 10 eph 8. cottrelI. D. D.
To the Chronicle.

/
a brief OF some contributions to peliodi-
calls during the last year. wherein | dis
cussed the question of penalty and retri-
button. In the Frankfort Capital" OF
Kentucky, particularly, | sought TO get
in word on behalf Of those whose
''sns, open beiorehand-gone before to
judgement -have consigned them to
the penitentiary and to the keeping OF
men who may be under limitations OF
traditional error as touching the pur-
pose of retributive measures. A few
days after had made The promise to
the Editor OF the CHoNICLE, the master
ly address OF DR.. I. d. Smms on the
subject of prison discipline, before the
at Atlanta Prison Reform Congress
recently came into my hands, and l
was SO inspired by the glow Of general
ity philanthrophy and the profoundly
philosophic conception and felicitious
statement of the theme, | have been
tempted to ask reproduction of DR..
Sims essay in the CHRONICLE, and back
of from iulfllment of my promise. l
venture little, however.
LIST All retribution that is not in be-
nevolence is simply vengefulness, and
is in contravention of the fundamental
or basic law of moral government.
End Penalty is not to be inflicted in
satisfaction of feeling on the part of a
person, or on the part of society, as only
to he met in recognition Of suffering on
the part of a transgressor.
3rd Paternity of Sovereignty in. GC d
postulates, inevitably, retribution only
in love.
4th Society through civil govern
ment, being secondarily, Paternal,
(the powers that be are ordained Of
Cody all its retributiye measures must
be qualified by the seminal generative,
conserving and restorative principle Of
bcnevoence.
| Without essaying development OF
each of these averments, I'll merely IL
lustrate the general subject of retri bu-
tive penalty, as indicated or declared
therein, by instancing the EXTREMIST
case, termed capital punishment. One
convicted and condemned is not by au-
thorty and power OF the Site con-
signed to prison that he may there sui
fer. The stone walls and iron doors Of
the Jail are to protect as were as to Sc
cure the convict. No insult from his
keeper Is anticipated. The time al.
lowed between the day OF sentence and
, Of execution is not. that he may suffer
the torture by anticipating death
When brought forth to execution, any
; word of railing or other demonstration
of insult would be violative of instinc
tive moral Sentiment. By intuition o
tho sacredness OF our relation to each o
the race, would there be recoil from
; any, the least word or look or act tina
savored Of revengefulness or indicative
ness. Society, humanity, Is represented
by the minister who rides by the pris
oner, and who stands with him anC
kneels by him. Does he not also rep.
resent God there? Then must the ex
ecution be effected absolutely withou
pain to the "vIctim OF the law" No
is he executed that he may be hasteneC
=, off to hell. Analyze this whole enact
ment, and it becomes the more eviden
). that the all comprising, all qualifying
; all disseminating principle of benevo
lence has incorporated itself with tina
which, on first view, would seem tn
:, apotheosis OF wrath, of vengefulness.
Cognate into this is the law unde
which we are placed in respect to thos
who despitefully use us and prosecute us
We are to feed our enemy if he need
and thus cheap Goals OF fire upon hi
= head certainly the motive is not to burr
i him. Such fires as IRE thus kindle,
S are purifying fires, vengeance is mine
: I will repair it sayeth the Lord" Blu
: He does not say I'll crafty it,
/ Is it ap orehend that wrathful ven
: geance from Jehovah in ultimate judge
e ment is voided by inevitable sequence
: of this reasoning? I reply, what is j
is? Is hell any more the less awfrf6e
cause not an enactment of>vengefu
o wrathg-of vindicatiye omnipotence
The retributions>efa anger or wrath ma.
r. be met in defiance. Those Of wronge'
and afflicted love are intolerable.
In conclusion I.would simply rsmarl
that as the highway Of government j
il strewn with the debris Of exploded meth
!. dds Of discipline and theories OF penalt.
even as religious history is with dog